Effects of nanofertilizers on soil and plant-associated microbial communities: Emerging trends and perspectives

Modern agricultural practices are relying excessively upon the use of synthetic fertilizers to supply essential nutrients to promote crop productivity. Though useful in the short term, their prolonged and persistent applications are harmful to soil fertility and nutrient dynamics of the rhizospheric microbiome. The application of nanotechnology in form of nanofertilizer provides an innovative, efficient, and eco-friendly alternative to synthetic fertilizers. The nanofertilizers allow a slow and sustained release of nutrients that not only supports plant growth but also conserve the diversity of the beneficial microbiome. Such attributes may help the phytomicrobiome to efficiently mitigate both biotic and abiotic stress conditions. Unfortunately, despite, exceptional efficiency and ease of applications, certain limitations are also associated with the nanofertilizers such as their complicated production process, tenuous transport and dosage-sensitive efficiency. These bottlenecks are causing a delay in the large-scale applications of nanofertilizers in agriculture. This review aims to highlight the current trends and perspectives on the use of nanofertilizers for improving soil fertility with a special focus on their effects on beneficial phyromicrobiome.